I felt like on each play we were just one or two away. It was week five or six last year before I could say that. Now I feel like we are close.

On playing a team the caliber of Miami the first game

I liked it. Opening up with a team as talented as Miami, really stressed us and allowed us to really evaluate guys in difficult circumstances. I think it is going to help us. I think it will help us improve more quickly than if we had opened up with a lesser opponent.

On how he felt FAU played

I was very concerned with the mechanics of the game, the assignments with as many new people as we had on the field. Offensively and defensively, Miami was a little different than what they showed a year ago. There was a lot of adjusting. I thought our guys handled the rhythm of the game really well. I love the fact that we were playing very hard in the third and fourth quarter. That is a spirit that we were able to maintain last year and it is important that we keep that type of spirit. We gave up a lot of size, but really when we played with technique physically, strength wise, I thought we held up pretty well even though we were giving up a huge size advantage. At times we didn’t but as our players watched tape it was more a matter of playing with poor technique than playing with good technique and still getting knocked off the ball. I think our players learned a lot. As individuals, when they watch themselves play with good technique they had some success. And when they watched themselves throw technique out the window they didn’t have success. That’s what I meant about playing a good team early, we have a teaching tool for our players. Against a good team you do not have success unless you do it the right way. Sometimes when you start out with a lesser opponent it breeds a false confidence that you are not entitled to.

Greg is healthy and really no pain at all. He has healed quickly and looked today. Sharp.

On the Health of the team

Day-to-day. I’m still on track to having a healthy team and everyone participating.

Will you see a different look this week as opposed to last week?

Very different. We had a lot of big sets against Miami, played a lot of base defense. This week we will see a lot more three wides, four wides, five wides sometimes empty, spread the field a lot more. Very, very different offense than Miami. It is important to have Cre’von (LaBlanc) back. That allows Cre’von to play nickel and Christian (Milstead) to move to corner, play some nickel, some dime and do whatever we need him to do as well. It brings back our depth in the secondary which we need.

On Opening Play in Conference USA

I don’t feel a different vibe. I’m sure they will feel it on Thursday night, but right now it is about preparing every day and move on to the next opponent. I don’t think they are thinking in conference, out of conference just preparing for the next opponent as best as we can. Play our best game that night and the next day move on to our next opponent that is who I want us to be and I think our guys do a good job with that. I’m worried about East Carolina, obviously you like to get conference wins and that is your goal, but it doesn’t mean you prepare differently.